Best I Ever Had
by daiZe
Summary: Draco/Ginny fic, was originally based on the lyrics to a Vertical Horizon song but then it veered from that direction. A play in Muggle Studies class could bring Ginny and Draco closer than they'd ever expected...Read and review!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**  
  
Ginny ran from the castle, ran as far as she could get and finally collapsed, out of breath, on a stone near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She was a slim sixteen, fragile and pale with the flaming red hair of a goddess. Tears poured down her face, leaving clean streaks of pale across the dirt from her flight. Her chest heaved with a sob and she bit her lip to keep from wailing. Ginny had always had a crush on Harry Potter, but when she finally gained the courage to stand tall and talk to him about it, he had crushed her, telling her that there was no chance for them- he liked Cho and there were too many other obstacles in a relationship. Ginny bit back a bitter sob. If only Harry knew what a phony Cho was. She'd heard her talking in the Prefect's bathroom when she thought no one was in the stalls. Cho never had good to say of anyone and considered herself superior to others. But Ginny was too nice to hurt Harry like he'd hurt her. She was young, and the breath of innocence was still in her heart.  
  
Suddenly, Ginny felt someone take her wrists and pull her up. She abashedly turned her head to the side, not wanting anyone to see the anguish and hurt in her eyes. She peered out from beneath her tear-bejeweled lashes and saw two slim, elegant white hands firmly supporting her. Her eyes traveled up to the arms of silky green Quidditch robes, then up his ivory neck to finally come face-to-face with Draco Malfoy. Ginny bit back a gasp.  
  
M-Malfoy what the hell are you doing here? she exclaimed, looking around worriedly. She hoped he hadn't heard her crying but she knew that it would've been impossible to ignore if he had been this close.  
  
Relax Weasel, it's not as if I don't have a good reason to be here, he scoffed, his eyes masking the minuscule flicker of emotion that Ginny thought she had glimpsed a minute ago, I couldn't see one of my best victims drown themselves before I got another chance to astound them with my wickedly biting mind. Unfortunately you're already crying, so there's nothing there for me.  
  
Draco eyed her up and down, trusting his eyes to keep his feelings masked as they had so many times in the past. He had watched her for a couple weeks now, and had talked to her several times, managing to remain aloof and detached while still attempted to satisfy the need to be close to her. A slim beauty after growing out of her gangly, awkward stage, Ginny's fiery hair had drawn her to him. Her innocence and naivete, kindness and unknowing charm, fascinated him. As a boy, he had never been shown care, or love, or anything in a rough semblance, by anyone. Ginny was so unknowingly sweet and beautiful, moving gracefully without trying, exuding an aura of calm and gentleness that Draco would've found revulsive under any other circumstance. But on Ginny it was fitting. She was all things good, the angel of light, and Draco was the fierce dragon, circling and waiting for the correct moment to cleanly slaughter his prey. Malfoys remained cool and distant even at the best of times, and were born as a stone cold wall wiped clean of emotions, only allowing smirks and jests at the expense of others.  
  
And therein lay the problem. Draco was a Malfoy, indifferent and unconcerned, an aristocrat without a conscience. Ginny was a Weasley. A pathetic, sniveling Weasley. Her family was dirt poor and there were about a million people in just her nuclear family. He had made it a point to hate the Weasleys- they were disgusting people who just kept breeding. But Ginny was so different. Her calm, gentle grace drew him to her. He imagined how it would feel to hold her, to stroke her smooth skin and tell her that he would always protect her. Draco wanted to offer her the world on a silver platter, but could never admit his feelings. It would be his undoing. Besides, even if she wasn't a Weasley it would be an unimaginable to tell her he loved her or something equally stupid. Love didn't exist. It was a myth told by bookworms and hopefuls, those who would sit, mooning away at someone and never realizing that their feelings were just a sham, a facade brought on by too many fairy tales and in desperate need of a dose of reality.  
  
Ginny shivered and drew her wrists close to herself, bringing him back to the present. He sighed disgustedly and released her slim form from his tender hold. Another example of showing your weaknesses. It was arctic out here, but you didn't see even a hint of his iciness, only in the puff of his breath when he sighed and handed her his sweater from underneath his Quidditch robes. Ginny's eyes widened.  
  
You haven't...hexed it or something, have you? she inquired nervously, holding the sweater as if it might bite.  
  
Don't be silly Ginny. I was just wearing it. Think I'd really be wearing something that could hurt me? he smirked, hoping she wouldn't notice the slip of his tongue on her name.  
  
Ginny's eyes widened mischievously. What'd you just call me...Draco? she said wickedly, provoking him further with his name and the twinkle in her eyes. He was drawn to her, almost smiling as he heard his name on her lips. His self control left him, disappearing somewhere over the wood and leaving him in a moment of weakness. He encircled her waist with his arms and lowered his head to hers.  
  
I called you Ginny, he whispered, following a dried tear track with his finger before pressing his lips to hers gently, pulling her close to him and expressing his feelings for the first time, wanting to tell her how he felt but lacking the words. A small sigh slipped from Ginny's lips as she clasped her hands at the back of his neck, running her fingers through the shorter hairs at the nape of his neck. Her goodness enveloped them in Draco's moment of weakness, leaving them as the only two people in the world, passionately embracing, and unknowingly being watched by the Fates, who sighed in pleasure as they saw the glowing flame that Ginny and Draco had unknowingly created together, the flame that would bind them to each other for an eternity.  
  
Draco suddenly broke from the being that they had become, splitting apart and causing their eternal flame to flicker. His duties, responsibilities, reputation, and self control all returned to him in an angry blast, taunting him with the knowledge that he was a Malfoy.  
  
he roared, sending a quiver through the grass and causing the Fates to wail with pain and rush back to their place inside each and every being. Ginny opened her eyes in shock and rushed to him.  
  
What's wrong? I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened. I- she hastily murmured, smothering her disappointment with kindness. She attempted to touch his arm, to comfort him, but he slapped her hand away and whirled around to face the castle. His head bowed in self loathing, he rushed back to the castle in a swirl of expensive green, leaving Ginny with his sweater and taking with him a piece of her heart.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I'm going to continue this later, this is just the prologue but the rest will be based on the lyrics of Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)' by Vertical Horizon. Please review and let me know what you think. It means a lot to me!  
  
-Alli


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**  
  
_So you sailed away  
Into a grey sky morning  
Now I'm here to stay  
Love can be so boring  
  
Nothing's quite the same now  
I just say your name now_  
- Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)', Vertical Horizon  
Draco dashed off to the castle, his pricey robes swishing irritatingly against the familiar green grass. What the hell had he done? He wasn't attracted to Ginny...right? And even if he was, he knew better than that. Malfoys couldn't associate with low-born, Muggle-loving Weasleys. He had just been hallucinating. That kiss didn't happen. _Any minute now, I'll wake up in my own bed in the Slytherin dungeon and be all alone with no memory of this rubbish, _he thought, pinching himself. He yelped as he confirmed his fear that he wasn't dreaming, though his pale skin turned red and felt sore for a bit after that.  
  
Back in his dorm, he ran his hand through his hair. _Why did I kiss her?_ he reasoned. _Okay. I'll keep my cool. We'll make a list. This way I can prove to myself that I don't have feelings for Ginny Weasley._ Finding a pad of thick, creamy paper and a quill, he settled down on top of his large bed. _Okay. first.  
_**1. She's pretty, even if she is a Weasley.**  
**2. She was crying. I felt bad. I pitied her and her pathetic existence**. _That's better. Felt bad?_ he smirked, _Gimme a break._  
**3. I could use her to make Scarhead jealous, and to piss off her idiotic brother.** _That's perfect! That's why I kissed her! I'm such a genius. _he thought smugly, rubbing his hands together. After this, he didn't need any more reasons. He quashed the nagging voice in the back on his head that was telling him to look deeper, for there was more, and discarded the list on the floor.  
  
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Ginny let her eyes follow Draco's increasingly smaller form as he headed up the slope and back to the castle, his robes billowing around him and his blonde hair shining against the jade of the grass and the fabric of his robes. What had just happened? She thought she liked Harry, but being with Draco was different- and not in an entirely bad way. Harry was like a brother to her...an attractive, sweet brother whose hugs were definitely memorable. But being with Draco was invigorating, a heady rush of conflicting emotions that she couldn't even attempt to decipher. Why was it so different now? Back in her first year, his vile excuse for a father had slipped her Tom Riddle's diary, and throughout Ron's days at school Draco had tormented him and his friends without remorse, but he'd never done anything to Ginny, with the exception of ignoring her (which was hard to discern, considering she never approached him either.)  
  
A week or so into this school year (her sixth, Draco's seventh), Draco had bumped into her in the hall, sending her papers flying in a shower of quills and parchment. Expecting him to torment her for her clumsiness, she had almost passed out in shock when she spotted a pale hand sweeping together several of her quills and holding them out. Ginny had reached out a trembling hand to take them, almost dropping them again in the process.  
  
Ginny whispered, blushing.  
  
Not a problem, he had stated crisply before heading off in the direction of the dungeons, leaving her very confused and apprehensive. Hopefully the Slytherins weren't plotting anything- though it would do them good to see one of their own being charitable' to a Weasley, hopefully set an example and such. But Ginny shook her head, playfully tossing the thought out of her mind. What's the likelihood that that would ever happen?  
  
Snippets of conversations in the next few weeks had caused even more confusion on her part. Draco was being...nice, which was amazing unto itself, but even more astounding was that he was being nice to _her_. For years, all she had known about Draco was that he was the school bully and that he found immense pleasure in torturing Ron and his mates. She had mused about him occasionally, wondering what he was really like, but had never been brave enough to take initiative and speak to him, with the exception of a quiet, now and then.  
  
_Why did he kiss me? Am I hallucinating?_ she puzzled, knowing deep down she wasn't dreaming. Ginny couldn't think of any reason for Draco Malfoy to kiss her, unless he was using her as a pawn in something. She didn't want him to be using her though. Something, not her mind, but her...heart? was telling her that she had enjoyed that kiss. A lot. _And that's truly unfortunate_, she thought, _because it was just a dare or something, and it'll never happen again. I like Harry. Even if he doesn't like me, _she told herself, shaking her head firmly. _I do not like Draco Malfoy. That's absurd._ And with that, she wiped dried tear tracks from her face and strode towards the castle, not realizing that she was still wearing his sweater.  
  
  
  
  
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Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to update. And ew, was this chapter any good? I kinda squeezed it out in various little bursts when I could find time and some speck of my writing ability. Writer's block is EVIL! *whacks Writer's Block on the head' with a copy of Hogwarts, A History* I'm so happy with my reviews! I got a seven- two from Clare, computer error I suppose. Yey! Drop me a line with your email if you want to be on an update list, I'm hoping to update at _least _once or twice a week, maybe more, if Writer's Block stops stalking me. Thanks again for reviewing it means bunches to me!  
  
**Snolive**- My co-conspirator! The sun. *glower* We'll extinguish that big light someday. *shakes fist menacingly* You have to post your fics! NOW, FOOL!  
**Kiwi**- I'm so glad you like it! I love Vertical Horizon too and am thinking of starting another fic based on Everything You Want and/or You're a God when I'm done with this one. But you'll just have to wait and see now won't ya? I haven't read Catcher in the Rye but now I'll have to. :oP  
**Duo's Kitty**- Thank you so much for the sweet review! *blush*  
**jane-valar**- I love this song too! If only I could de-attach my headphones from my ears, maybe then I'd be more in tune with my real life LOL.  
**Clare**- BE A MAN, YOU MUST BE SWIFT AS A COURSING RIVER! *bellows Disney songs at the top of her lungs* Thou must post your fic.  
**Maddy**- *gasp* I'm gonna tell Goku, and Cleon, and *lists Maddy's many other lovers* on you!  
**PhoenixRae**- You rock my socks! Everyone needs to go read her story, it's called Defense Against You' and it's so awesome! Plus she updates like every day, which is SO AMAZING!! So yeah. Go read it. :oP  
  
**3** Alli


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
  
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Waking up in her dorm room the next day, Ginny took a deep breath and her eyes widened questioningly. She smelled like guys' cologne! Another sniff. Expensive cologne at that. Looking down, she sleepily wondered why she was wearing a dark green cashmere sweater. She shrugged and snuggled back down into the covers. Stranger things have happened. Ginny curled up under the mass of warm blankets and allowed herself the leisure of falling back asleep. She was sure she had at least an hour before braekfast, and there was no sense in waking up at dawn over a sweater. She'd think about it later.  
  
-45 minutes later-  
  
An annoying whizzing noise brought Ginny out of her dream. She groggily struggled out from under the tangle of her bedsheets and searched for the noise. _Aha!_ it was coming from the mess of dirty robes on her floor. Almost falling out of bed, the redhead stumbled towards the source of the offending whizzing sound. Oh God. It was that bloody Remembrall that Harry had caught for Neville in his first year. Neville had given it to Ginny after the first Yule Ball, said it was useless because he never remembered what he had forgotten- and she'd chucked it on the floor and forgotten about it. Speaking of forgotten- why was this annoying novelty making such a racket?! What the bloody hell had she- oh no. Ginny frantically checked her watch as her mirror, the only presence,' in the room, observed her face turning ashen.  
  
The mirror chuckled kindly. Ginny whipped into a standing position (she'd been searching for a clean robe on the floor) and glared.  
  
Oh can it, you, the petite girl hissed. Why were there no clean robes? _ARGH!_ She'd have to go to her first class, second year Muggle studies, in her crumpled clothes from yesterday. Oh well. The professor would probably think it was an attempt at getting extra credit. The funny thing was, she'd probably earn the Gryffindors a few house points. Ginny bit back a giggle. Sometimes accidents had the funniest way of working out.  
  
  
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The Slytherin table in the Great Hall was bustling with activity. Draco Malfoy sat in the center of it, though he still managed to remain ignorant to the goings-on around him. The pale blonde was intently studying the Gryffindor table, but to his tablemates he was gazing intently at Blaise Zabini's shoulder, where the arm of a short blonde girl rested.  
Drake, I know Keiara's hot, but she's my girlfriend, said Blaise jokingly, though a trained eye could pick up on the fact that Blaise's arm tightened protectively on the small girl's waist. Draco happened to notice, and smirked. Though he hadn't heard what Blaise said, Draco's icy eyes were trained to pick up on body language.  
  
Relax man. We all know how tight you guys are. Besides, I'd never make a move on your girl. Though there's no denying she's hot, Draco said, flattery coming easily to his lips. Anyone who knew him well would know that he wouldn't hesitate to steal someone else's property,' be it a girl or a broomstick. He could always get away with it too, because he was a Malfoy, and that was what Malfoys did. Ari (a nickname some of her friends called her) blushed and smiled slightly at Draco, whose eyes had already settled back on the loud Gryffindor table. He furrowed his brow in consternation. Where was the littlest Weasley? Class started in ten minutes. He glared, grabbed a scone, and swished off to get his books, ignoring the good-natured curiosity thrown at him by his friends.  
  
Where's the fire? Blaise said (ever so wittily, Draco thought sarcastically), raising a giggle from Ari. God that girl was easily amused. Draco bit back a snort. Too giggly for him.  
  
Hey Draco, purred Pansy Parkinson suggestively, I'd slide down your pole any day.  
  
Draco used all of his patience to keep from slapping Pansy. _What a disgusting slut! _he thought to himself. _Nothing like Ginny_, he mused, letting a small smile play across his fine white features. He suddenly realized what he was thinking, and amazingly kept his jaw from dropping in shock. _What am I thinking?!_ he wondered, somewhat disturbed. Where had this new infatuation _NO!_ this new interest in Ginny Weasley come from? There. Interest was the right word. Definitely.  
  
  
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Ginny's last-minute scheme had worked- Professor Martin had awarded the Gryffindor house 35 points for her creative way of incorporating [her] studies into every day life. Ginny ignored the whispers and odd looks her fellow students gave her- so what if her clothes were a bit wrinkled? Did it matter if they thought she was a suck-up? _Nah,_ she thought, _They're just jealous because I got points and they didn't._ Ginny held her head high and sat down in her seat between Olivia Marcell, a 4th year Ravenclaw, and Marcie Bowman, a Slytherin in her own year.  
  
Marcie sneered at Ginny. What'd you do to get that sweat, slut? The redhead gave her a withering glare and turned toward Olivia, who gave her a knowing (knowing? _What does everyone know' that I don't??_) look and commenced to talk about her boyfriend, a blonde Muggle actor named Thomas something-or-other. Ginny nodded along, raising her eyebrows appreciatively when Olivia pulled a picture out of her knapsack, then facing forward and attempting to listen to the tall, exotic-looking Professor Martin, who was wearing extravagant robes of bloodred and chattering enthusiastically about Muggle literature and shaking spears, or some such nonsense. Ginny took a few notes using her QuikQuotes Quill, then went back to chatting with Olivia.  
  
  
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From his seat in the back of the room, Draco forced back a groan. _Damn!_ Ginny was wearing his sweater. Their stupid prat of a teacher had practically wet herself with glee, her eyes alight as she praised Ginny's, initiative and creativity,, traits Draco was referring to in his head as stupidity and sheer lack of wits. Why hadn't she changed? Oh bugger. Now Crabbe was lumbering towards her, a stupid smirk on his doughy face. _Quick- deny or exaggerate? Deny or exa-_ No time for that now-  
  
Crabbe held up his hand, presumably for a high-five. Regaining his composure, Draco cocked an eyebrow at his,   
  
C'mon mate! Crabbe leered, smiling dumbly.  
  
Draco eyed the beefy hand as if it were a dead fish. And to what do I owe this honour? he sneered.  
  
The oaf continued to look astoundingly, disturbingly stupid, and pronounced, You nailed the little Weasel! and looked at Draco curiously. You did, didn't you?  
  
A plot took form in Draco's head. he swallowed, shoving that little voice called Guilt into the depths of his consciousness. Yeah, sorta.  
  
Crabbe mistook his vagueness for, but you aren't getting details, and sighed. Then, the thin hand met the large, pudgy one in a high-five, and Crabbe leered at the small redhead sitting a few rows from the front. Draco quashed his conscience and settled in to listen to Professor Martin describe Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.  
  
And never was there a story of more woe/than this of Juliet and her Romeo.  
  
  
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Author's Note: Hey guys! Hope you liked this chapter, the fic is actually taking a life of its own LOL. I don't know if the whole song base, thing is going to work out any more, but hopefully it'll still be good! Can you believe what Draco did? *shakes head* What a cruel little boy. But it'll all work out. Hopefully.  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I just realized I haven't done a disclaimer at all. So here. The characters you recognize don't belong to me, no surprise there. Olivia Marcell is my friend, Marcie Bowman is a random fictional character, my friends might know who Keiara is....:oP Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)' is the property of Vertical Horizon, and the Romeo and Juliet quote is Shakespeare's. Der.  
  
  
Please please please READ AND REVIEW! I don't have enough time (about to catch the bus for school) to thank all my reviewers, I'll do that next chappie. Love you all!  
  
  
3 Alli


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**  
  
  
  
Ginny was half paying attention when Professor Martin announced that their Muggle Studies class would be doing a contemporary version of _Shakespeare's_ (not shaking spears' as Ginny had thought before) Romeo and Juliet. Hermione, Ron's girlfriend and class know-it-all, squealed.  
  
A play! This will be so much fun! Memorizing all the lines, selling tickets, writing our own scenes...I better familiarize myself with Shakespeare's complete works... the bushy-haired girl trailed off, no doubt wondering if Madame Pince would have a set of Shakespeare books in the library.  
  
Ginny giggled at Hermione's bookish enthusiasm. Secretly, she was happy to be doing a play, but was careful not to let her emotions be known to her seatmates. Marcie was murderously clenching her fists, and the blonde Olivia had fixed Professor Martin with a cold glare.  
  
Hearing the collective groans of her students, Professor Martin sighed.   
  
C'mon guys, it'll be fun! Not only is there romance, but there's plenty of fighting and animosity.  
  
Some of her male students looked up. asked Crabbe with an increasingly imbecilic smile.  
  
Yes, Vincent, there are some deaths, their teacher sighed.  
  
Anyway, we will first be reading the original story out loud, then I will split you into groups and have you each focus on a specific scene, then re-write it in a contemporary style. Eventually we will have auditions and decide on roles. At the end of our unit, the performance will be held in the old Hogwarts auditorium, and we will sell tickets. The money will be put into a class fund until we can agree on how to spend it, Professor Martin explained, her eyes dancing enthusiastically.  
  
From the back of the room, Draco smirked. Finally all those theater arts and literature classes his mother had insisted on escorting him to during the summers would pay off. There was no doubt he would get the part of Romeo. Now, who would play his Juliet? There were only a handful of hot girls in his class. Draco's calculating eyes swept the room, briefly resting on each young woman. He mentally made a checklist.  
  
_-Clare Albertson- a thin, blonde fourth year (a bit young), she often hung around Olivia Marcell.  
-Olivia Marcell- she's pretty, though also a fourth year, but isn't she a year older than the rest of them?  
-Keiara- she's just broken up with Blaise, and I guess she's tolerably attractive, if not somewhat chunky. A bit giggly for me though.  
-Lavender Brown- a seventh year, same as me, a pretty face and a hot body but I haven't talked to her much  
-Ginny Weasley- despite the obvious handicap of being a Weasley_ (he sneered)_, she has grown quite pretty. I suppose she could prove to be interesting, despite the little episode down by the lake. It's not like I fancy her or something, I just think she's hot. Plus, it'd be a great way to piss off Scarhead and Weasel.  
  
_Draco chuckled to himself. Hopefully the little Weasel would get the part- then after she fell head over heels (insert a modest Draco shining his nails on the front of his expensive robes) in love, he could use her to piss off the insufferable trio- Weasel, Scarhead, and the long-molared Mudblood. He couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces. A devilish smirk decorated his alabaster features, staying with him as he walked back to the Slytherin dorms, where he ran into Blaise, who was sitting in his room with the door open. Ugh. He could see that Blaise, the fool, was still torn up over Keiara. He repressed a snort, not out of compassion or sympathy but to keep Blaise from hearing him and thinking he could be used as a shoulder to cry on. It wasn't like she was much of a catch anyway. Sure, she was a great friend, but she was just that, a friend. _Come on you prat, you only went out for what, a week?_ Draco strutted back to the common room, where he found Keiara doodling on the edges of her Arithmancy homework.  
  
Hey Ari, how's it going? Draco said casually.  
  
Surprisingly well actually. I feel bad for him, but I'm glad I dumped Blaise. I'm free! she exclaimed with dramatic arm gestures.  
  
Draco nodded, then got up and stretched.  
  
I think I'm going to go for a walk. Talk to you later! Giving her a friendly hug, he waltzed out the door into the corridor. Candles cast eerie circles of light on patches of stone. He kept walking until he reached a small hallway leading to the portrait of Gryffindor's Fat Lady, and heard a noise. A giggle? _Nah_. Draco walked on until he came upon a particularly vomitrocious sight. He made eye contact with a certain bushy-haired prefect, who was up against a rocky wall snogging with the youngest Weasley male. She yanked her lips off Ron's and gasped, her eyes wide.  
  
she stuttered, adjusting her blouse as Ron turned around and narrowed his eyes.  
  
My, my, what do we have here? If I was a prefect- he smirked, letting his gaze flick to Hermione's prefect pin pointedly- I would take off points for having a grotesque snogfest in the middle of that hallway, but alas, it is all I can do to keep from losing my lunch.  
  
Hey Malfoy, maybe if you could get Parkinson to kiss your sorry mug, you wouldn't be so bitter! Ron exclaimed angrily.  
  
Draco merely laughed. His plot regarding Ginny continued to take shape, and he wasn't sure if he could be patient enough to wait and see Ron's face before exploding and gracing all of Hogwarts with his delightful plot. That is, if Ginny got the part. But regardless, he was going to make Ron rue the day he had crossed Draco Malfoy. Speeding away in a swirl of distinguished robes, he could still see Ron and Hermione's guilty looks in his mind. The tall blonde let a pleased chuckle escape his lips, and headed back to the Slytherin dorms to fetch his books for Herbology.  
  
  
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Ginny shook her thick auburn tresses at the mirror. She had removed the thick sweater she was wearing that morning and changed into clean robes, mentally bashing herself for her utter studity in wearing his sweater. The littlest Weasley knew it was wrong, but she kept his sweater and placed it in the back corner of the bottom drawer in her dresser. She wanted to muffle her mouth with a pillow and scream, but was attempting to think along the lines of what's been done's been done.' Thinking back to her Muggle Studies class, she really wanted to get a lead part. Secretly she was hoping to be Juliet (who she assumed was the female lead), but thought that Professor Martin would probably give her a smaller role because of her usual silence in class. Nonetheless, it would be an exciting diversion from everyday schoolwork.  
  
Ginny applied a fresh coat of lipgloss and thanked the Hogwarts scheduling gods that she didn't have any classes for the rest of the afternoon. What a perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon- with nothing to do but walk around the Hogwarts grounds and possibly get a head start on her homework if there was time. She tied back her hair, her slender fingers gracefully pulling her russet locks through a royal blue hair tie, then set off for a short walk around the lovely Hogwarts grounds.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, would I be hunched in front of a glowing computer screen, stuffing my piggy face with peanut-butter smeared graham crackers? Hmm...maybe. It's one of my favorite pasttimes. But anyway, the gist of this is that I don't own the HP characters whose names you recognize. All I own is a super huge lint ball. And actually, Snolive won that, so I don't got that anymore either.  
  
  
  
Thanks to my reviewers, I love you! Thanks to my imaginary Muse for dancing your pants off. And thanks even more for putting them back on. I wrote most of this at night on a legal pad, and my hand got really cramped so that's why it's a bit short. There's more but I don't have time to type it all up now. PLEASE review and I will love you forever. If you give me a couple brief details about yourself and what house you'd like to be in, I will see if I can write you into the story. =) Wouldn't you love that? But you have to review! So just click that magic little button...  
  
  
3 Alli


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**  
  
  
Draco looked up from potting a large Muggle plant called a cactus to see a blur o of red hair go skipping by. She looked oddly happy. Suddenly Draco felt a harsh prick on his forearm and tore his eyes away from Ginny. Seeing a ruby drop of blood well up on his near paper-white skin was rather unnerving for Professor Sprout, who mumbled a spell and hurried off, glancing nervously back at him from time to time. Draco quickly shoveled some sandy potting mixture into the adobe pot, then rushed off to find Ginny. Time to put his plan into action.  
  
Pulling on his cloak, his feet shuffled through the green grass. Dew drops clung to the black hems of his robes, weighing them down- not that Draco noticed. He was intent on reaching his target, who was now sitting, once again, on a rock by the lake.  
  
Talk about deja vu. There she was again, staring into the icy depths of the murky water, her silky red hair blowing around her head, revealing the creamy white skin of her neck and framing her cute features. She looked so peaceful, like the figurehead of a ship jutting bravely through fog and guiding the ship safely to land. But she was getting up- Draco practically raced to where she was sitting, managing to look nonchalant and cool (attribute it to the Malfoy charm many girls had fallen for in the past) with his hands dug deep in his pockets.  
  
Hey Weasley, she looked up questioningly, meeting his gaze with her dark eyes and pausing in her path back to the castle.  
  
Oh, it's you, she muttered. _Probably wants to talk about his immense wealth, and my lack of it, or about whatever part he'll pay his way into for the Muggle Studies play._ The annoying thing was that Malfoy seemed to be good at everything, so he'd probably get whatever part he wished.  
  
I'm wounded. Truly I am, Draco mumbled, stopped mid-sneer when his eyes met hers and held them. _How does she do that?_ Obviously Draco, resident Hogwarts heartthrob, could have his pick of almost any girl in the school, but he'd (unknowingly) fallen for the one whose personality, not looks, he was attracted to. Of course, he hadn't figured that out yet. As far as he knew, he was absolutely in control of his feelings. _Relax_ he told himself. _You can easily charm her- then, she's yours to dispose of._ Why was he having second thoughts? Why couldn't he say something? Why didn't she say something? Ginny's soft voice broke through his frustrating tangle of thoughts.  
  
So...have you read Romeo & Juliet before?  
  
Of course. It's only one of the world's most acclaimed tales. Two star-crossed lovers, desiring to be together but kept apart by the confines of society and family, he scoffed. Then he realized how close the play was to the story of his relationship with Ginny. _Woah! What relationship?!_ His heart was racing, so he turned away for a minute to collect himself, not realizing how stricken he'd looked.  
  
Draco? Are you okay? Do you- Ginny asked worriedly, cut off by his sudden turn back towards her.  
  
Draco had to work his hardest to keep a wolfish smile off his face. _The relationship' we'll have once she falls infatuated with me. That should come around soon._ he thought, cruelly discarding whatever was left of his conscience.  
  
I'm fine...though I could be better... he trailed off suggestively, sidling up to her, the top of her head dangerously close to his, red hair almost tickling his nose. Again their eyes locked, hers dark and questioning, his pale and mesmerizing. His gaze seductively pulled her toward him, his hand snaking out from his side to hers and encircling her waist. And how are you, Virginia? he asked charmingly, his voice sliding chillingly through her mind and darkly caressing its depths.  
  
I think I could be better too, she murmured, her senses overwhelmed by what she was feeling, her mind tingling too much to register shock at her brazen statement. Her thin arm moved, as if by its own accord, to the back of his neck. He smiled dangerously down at her as she peered at him from under her eyelashes. They stood like that for a minute, each wondering what the other would do. This time, it was an unwilling Ginny who broke their gaze. Her eyes traveled above his head to settle on the castle. _What am I doing?_ she thought, holding back a sigh. She lightly removed her hand from his neck and gently took his hand off her waist.  
  
she whispered, pulling her cloak tightly around her and hurrying back to the castle. Draco watched her go with impassive eyes, his feet remaining rooted in the ground, unable to follow her except with his piercing gaze.  
  
%~%~% That Evening %~%~%  
  
  
The Great Hall was alive and bursting with activity. It was a crisp, chilly November night, and the students were able to look up and admire the velvety black sky, speckled with twinkling stars, as they gorged on rich desserts. All of the food was delicious, as always, and the Hogwarts population was as rambunctious and talkative as ever. Ginny chattered distractedly with Colin Creevey and Eliara, a fifth year Gryffindor with a great ear for gossip. She was one of Ginny's roommates, but they didn't have much of a chance to talk because they were taking different elective courses.  
  
Draco was scheming at the Slytherin table, where his friends and his were buzzing with conversation. Blaise had finally stopped mooning over Ari (Draco suspected it had something to do with Riraynea, a fellow seventh year Slytherin, who Blaise had his eye on), and Ari was animatedly jabbering about some band called Linkin Park (Muggle, he assumed) with Millicent Bullstrode, who Ari insisted was nice underneath her unattractive exterior. Pansy kept trying to plant herself in Draco's lap and spoon feed him raw oysters (Oh come on Drakie, I hear they're an aphrodisiac! I'd need a helluva lot more than an aphrodisiac to even consider you, Parkinson, you know, maybe being knocked unconscious and bound to a Chinese Fireball.) and he couldn't take his eyes off a certain auburn haired gal at the Gryffindor table.  
  
Ginny kept sneaking peeks at Draco as well, and blushed whenever she caught his eye. She wasn't sure exactly what had happened earlier, and wanted to talk about it with someone. She would talk with Elle, but she wasn't sure if she'd be able to keep it quiet. Maybe she could find Hermione later? Though she'd probably flip out and tell everyone..._okay, maybe I'll just have to keep this to myself for a bit._ Finishing her cheesecake, Ginny backed away from the table and excused herself, much to Colin and Elle's dismay.  
  
I'm kinda tired you guys. Talk to you tomorrow,okay? she fibbed. Really, she just wanted to get back to her dorm and think before her room mates returned from dinner to jabber on about their latest crushes and who was wearing what while making out with whatever boy wasn't their boyfriend. Ginny listened only to her feet hitting the stone stairs as she jogged up the spiraling staircase, eventually giving the Fat Lady the password and trotting up to her dorm, where she fell on the bed and pondered over her afternoon.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Eh. I don't know how much I like the end of this chapter, but I like the little bit o' D/G goodness haha. Anyway, I really want to thank all my reviewers, you guys are so sweet and make writing even more enjoyable!  
  
Maddy- You'll be in it soon, I promise! I just have to find a good place to put you. *frown*  
  
Nyah- Yey! Thank you! =)  
  
Clare- I have forgiven you...it's not a contest man!  
  
Snolive- Ya, I suppose that was a bit OOC. But is his demonic thinking in this chapter somewhat better? Kokowam...sounds like some kind of Indian drug.  
  
Cheater531- Oh I will! Hopefully. That is the plan.  
  
Anyaka- I know! Don't you just love the way those little creative cogs in my head turn?  
  
Lady Megan- I am SO borrowing you muse! And I'm going to lend her to my friend Olivia, who NEEDS TO START ON HER SWEET POISON OF MISUSED WINE FIC! Heh...anyway, thank you for your generosity in lending her to me!  
  
PhoenixRae- I'm so glad you read it, everyone needs to go read Defense Against You it is an awesome fic and she updates much more often than I do.  
  
Magic Girl2- I put you in! Hopefully you'll get a bigger part later, I'm kind of rushed in writing this chapter.  
  
Kiwi- I don't let Draco watch Arthur when I let him out of my closet, where he's usually locked...no I don't....*shifty glances* Wait- I mean, Draco isn't locked in my closet! How dare you accuse me or such things?  
  
polar-zephyr- Ahh! Your reviews are so sweet! And I really like your fics! =) Update update! *does update dance*  
  
Roxy- Yey! Thank you so much. =)  
  
  
Anyway, I love you all. Again, if you want to be in it leave a description!   
  
Alli


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